Hinged pedal structure



Feb. R. T-R'EMINGT-QN i HINGED PEDAL www Fneduan. 13. ps4

Fi"9..:z'34 36041,' 4,.' QM 7 Mza-m,"

' Attorneys A 2,824,464 Patented F eb.v 25,Vv 1 958 HINGED.: 'PEDALSTRUCTURE Ralph T.` Remington, Roseville, Mich.,assignorrtoStudebaker-Packard Corporation, a corporation of'Mi'chigan is,insertedin, a hingercore: of, elasticl v material; and f the core andthe ,pin have: self-.engageable complementary parts. which,yieldablypengage upon insertion of the.. pin to holdr it stationarilyagainst relativeaXial displacement'. According to laieatureiofthe,.construction :just .sets` forth an` inwardly ,directedradialtprotrusionorlbead yof rubber f is integrally incorporatedrin the,interior of, the,1 hinge core .anddisengageably-,engages onel orbothsofthe `sides o a circumferentiahrecessonlithegpin `for yieldably hold-`ing, thet pin against axial .di'spglacementfrom thecrcore of thehinge.

Anotherobjcct ofQthe ,invention is the. provlsiontota,

rod actuatingrpivotally.mountedaccelerator pedal .wheref intanlelastiecor,e=at onenendzofathet pedal l,forms la 4quiet joint or connection tothe actuatedrod andswhereinlan elastic., core" at-the` opposite endVt oithepedal, forms a qpiel'lu Seli-lubricated joint or., connection.tothemounting piYQtsfoI: .the.pe,dal. Accordinglo., a featureo thein.-ventiorrthe latter .joint.forms a. pin, typehinge and in,- cljudes, anlelastic ,upraised rubber partwhichyieldably engages the hingelpinttosecure/ Ane same l,inplace..1,

Another object is to,provide, ,in ans-,acceleratorpedal mechanismharlingen apertured.pair. ofA spaced; apart bracket means Yinvwhich oneofthe.aperturesaordsa blind' opening.,ap in typel hinge structure fonsupporting thehejel rend `of the accelerator pedal. wherein the y.hingecore arranged tolpresent adeectablerlipidisposed adjacent thej blindopening and, upon insertion. ofs,.the hingepin in the, corethe lipisdeectablyengageable with companion v,means lon theY hinge pin `forLself-retain@ ably; restrainingit once it enters theblindopeningt, f

.Aj further'obiect 0f the invention isrthev provisiontof,

aquietpin type hinge yfor theY bracket,supportedheel end of'fa pedalstructurein which the pin tandthelsupport bracket for ,the .pedal`present, complementary,interengaged parts preventing unwanted relativemotion ofrthcvpin inla direction 7about itsE axis and the. pinand itsquiet acting hingegcore have complementary Vinter-engaging parts :prefventingfunwanted axial displacement, of the pin.

Further fea1ures,objects and advantageswillseither,be

specifically pointed.out or become apparent whenf'ona betterunderstandingof the, invention reference 4is made to the.followingwritten description taken, inL conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which t Figure 1 is va side, view of, thepresent pedal, invention in the environment ofian automobile floor-pan;

Figurel is a section through the,v hinge jointofthe Figure-4 isa-viewcorresponding to the section line 4;-44 ofy Figurel With portionsof the'pedal broken away andbent back'in the area of the hinge.

In Figures `1 andV 2 of the drawing, a Hoor pan structure 10 formotorlvehicles especially passenger automobiles,

isshown tofincludea` generally horizontally disposed il'oorpan 12Whichis Vbentalong a juncture line 14.at its forward end toiform a diagonallyrelated integral `toe boardY l Toward' the longitudinalmidportionthereof, theflborvpank 12J' `is upwardly embossed Yto providea tunnel-'structure -18-'rsuitable' for; accommodating atransf mission;`clutch assembly,V mechanical' `ilywheel or `fluid flywheelforftheiengine of, the` vehicle.` as, appropriate. The" toeeboard *16 iisprovidedv with ia rod receiving open.- ing y20""Whi'chisformed atarelativelyremote location to they juncture'line;1'4and receives,therethrough a reci'p'p-V rocatifngaccelerator'rod"22; T herodZZispedalactuated so asto movesub'stantiallylongitudinallyalong/a lin'eiwhich-isspaced*L apartrfrom^the swing axis of theactuatir'igepedal"andfforrthis'4 purpose has an enlarged sphericallyformedac'tuating' head 24'at one vend thereof; Attlrefopposite end *therod 22`-is^ adapted to be connected through-suitab'letliltagehto'aispeedcontrolling device for thee'vehicle engine;y not shown, such; as acarburetor or injectorpump orother'component of'an injectionsystem.

A' -pedal support' bracket'26' of"V general U-shape has -a base-po11ion28llwhich is upwardly bent at;itsropposite ends -to provide a pairj-of spaced apart `vertically L up-` standing legs-oneofi-which at 30isnearthe transmission tunnel-l18land th'euotherof which-at Slisrelatively 'remote yto the` tunnel' l*y The base'portion 28-1of2thebracket- 2'6fand tleladjacent'lportion of 'the-floorrpan' 16' areVformed with sets-of registering; apertures which are transverselyspacedy apart from-one `an'otherjan-'d-*indicated at3'4`;=36f'respectively.' Tli'ebracket 26iand`fthe florfpan 15 are Isecuredtogether by' means ofweldingeorfasteners such asasetlof rivets 34;36'received'respectively in the registering aperturesl l36" justnoted.The Vnear' leg Si) is formed wit-h 'a cir-cularpin' receiving opening 42which is in-axial-alignment witherespect toa` relativelyilargeropening-A 44'; of square fsection -formed` inA the f Vfar legj-3'2Thefvtwo aligned openings 1421" 44e' receive =and1 support a'headedlpivot pi'n46 deningfa pedal swin'gaxis `48i`-iivhicl`1l issubstantially horizontally disposedlata level? above the horizontal'o'orpany 12."4

Tang or snugl -means may'l lbeE providedv on the pin 4'6" adjacentftheefhead" thereofv to prevent relativeerotation` of the pin-46faboutits axis 48;"

Illustrative of one'commonlyJ formed expedient t'o eprovide fsucljtangfmeans-l is artour-sided squarerpin section Sll'f'incorporatedE onvthe pirr 46 immediatelyjbelowethe head thereofv fand l integralI withthe; pin shank" indicated at-vv 52. The square :shaped-"sectiony 50 of`theV pin i'scompl`e`menta11`y4 received in the square'opening, 44 Fand"to'- gether their` noncircular cross sectionsl interengageV to preventany relative rotation of-'the pin46 after assuming its-inalposition-.ofassembly; At tneoppositef'end' thel pin 46 `has ay portionfSllofroundl section, whichlis beveled atltheextremitylthereoand whichisflfairly snugly re'-l ceived'f in the complemental "aperture 421EvAtfan`-r intermediatef=portion= adjacentth'e' round 'section-Sfitliepin'is relievedto'fo'rm an" annular groove or recess 'ilaving4 aV section ofi comp arativelyj reduced diameter adjacent the; largerv section154so'asitov form a beveled ishoulder` 58; The grooveeSr` delinesianopposite beveled shoulderlin f cooperation with'the'main portion 52 orshank othe pin.w

' loop .62shauinganaxislcontained ina plane-,transyerse with respect tothe plate 60 which plane coincides with the plane of the `section 2-2 ofFigure l and which defines a slight acute angle to a reference line 63,Figure 4, that is disposed in the plane of the plate 60 `so as to bemutually perpendicular with respect to the central longitudinal axisindicated at 64 for the pedal plate 60. In one physically constructedembodiment of the invention, the slight acute angle just noted was 2 aslindicated at A. Generally along such longitudinal central axis 64 thepedal plate 60 may be embossed to provide a depressed stitfening rib 65and at the oppositeflong sides thereof the pedal plate 60 may bedownturned so as to form slightly pronounced stiffening flanges whichfurther contribute to longitudinal rigidity. The plate 60 has a coveringof non metallic material 66 which extends over a considerable portion ifnot all of the surface of the plate 60. The right and left side edges ofthe covering 66` the latter being indicated at 68 in Figures l and 2,are relatively relieved as at 69 along an arcuate path so as toaccommodate the upper ends of the bracket legs 30, 32 at the oppositesides of the pedal plate.

The top surface of the covering 66 indicated at 70 may be scored orotherwise roughened and provided with indicia or suitable characters.not shown. An overhanging extension 72 of the covering 66 extendsslightly beyond and to the rear of the heel portion of the acceleratorpedal plate 60. The covering 66 is formed of a generally elasticmaterial of the character of rubber. elastic plastic, synthetic resins,or other suitable elastomer and integrally incorporates a pair ofgenerally cylindrical appendages or parts at the toe and heel portionsat 74 and 76 respectively. The cylindrical part 74 is socketed to forman elastic rod receiving core 78' the axis of which extends generallyperpendicular to the plane of the plate 60. The cylindrical part 76contains an axial bore disposed generally parallel to and 4below theplane of the plate 60 and forming an elastic pin receiving core 80'.

ln one physically constructed embodiment of the invention the materialfor the main body of the covering 66 Was S. A. E. R-6l0-1K rubber andthe integral cylindrical part 74 was S. A. E. R-6l5-K rubber having asocket whose spherical angle measured in terms of the elastic core 78'was between 180 and 360 spherical degrees and actually amounted to 312.The cylindrical part 76 was S. A. E. R-8l0-'K wax impregnated rubberproviding a quiet self-lubricated pin joint and being formed withintegral lateral protrusions at 80 adapted radially to overhang andcover the adjacent ends 78 of the loop 62 so as to prevent anymetal-to-metal contact as between the loop and the bracket 26 which,together therewith, was formed of a steel stamping. U. S. Std. gauge No.16.

, At the end of the elastic core means 80 adjacent the smaller supportopening 42 in the bracket leg 30, the cylindrical part 76 is providedwith an inwardly protruding radial lip or rib 82 which detlects uponinsertion of the pin 46 to its final position and re-engages the latterwithin the grooved section 56 `so as to abut the shoulder 58 at the sideof the groove. The resulting yieldable engagement prevents unwantedaxial displacement of the pin 46 after its insertion to final positionalong the axis 48.

In Figure 3 an in-process reprensentation of the assemblv of the pin andthe pedal appears. In the intermediate position of assembly of the pin46 shown in solid lines in Figure 3, the beveled terminal extremity ofthe end section 54 of the pin engages the inwardly protruding annularlvcontinuous rib 82 of the rubber core 76 and on further movement deectsit to a partially deformed position shown in solid lines in Figure 3.Additional penetration of the pin 46 Within the elastic core interior80' causes the rubber lip 82 to be deflected farther and out of thedirect path of the pin 46 Hsuch that the round section 54 may come torest on the margins of the complemental bracket opening 42 and occupyits final position. Thereupon the deilectable rubber lip 82 snaps into atina! dotted line shoulder engaging position shown by the dotted lines82a in Figure 3 and thereafter deflectably prevents withdrawal movementof the pin 46 along the axis 48. Owing to the nearness between theopening 42 and the tunnel 18, the opening 42 is rendered virtually ablind opening and for this reason the automatic ire-engagement betweenthe grooved end of the pin and the lip on the core means at thecorresponding end of the latter greatly facilitates the self-retentionaction of the pin which in the case of conventional retainer means ofdifferent types would be rendered rather complicated owing to thevirtual inaccessibility of the inner end of the blind opening 42adjacent the tunnel 18. j

In operation, the pedal plate 60 is adapted to swing pivotally about theaxis 48 so as to move in a substantially vertical plane normal to theaxis 48, the rod 22 simultaneously moving longitudinally or lengthwisegenerally in the s ame vertical plane but along a path which is spaced`apart with respect to the axis 48. The elastic core means 78accommodates not only tilting action of the accelerator rod 22 relativeto the plane of the plate 60 but also in extreme positions of theaccelerator pedal accommodates a slight twisting or transverse wipingaction of the head 24 of the rod therein due to the relative skewangularity as between the respective-axes 48, 64 and the axis of theaccelerator rod 22. The elastic core means 78 and 80' form quietlyacting joints with the respective metal parts 24 and 52 with which theyare associated and in each case the mouth of the socket openings at 78and the mouth 82 of the cored bore 80' deect during assembly of theassociated parts to receive the ends of the parts 22 and 46. In the caseof the wax impregnated ma; terial 76 which is homogeneous throughout, aself-lubricated action occurs which contributes further to quietness inthe joint. Relative rotation occurs between the surfaces of thestationary pin shank 52 and the relatively rotatable core surface 80which moves concurrently with the pedal plate 60. Similarly, relativerotation occurs between the margin of the lip 82 and the bottom and theshoulders of the groove 56.

As herein disclosed the hinge pin at the base or heel of the acceleratorpedal is shown to have an intertted noncircular section at the head endof the pin to prevent relative rotative movement thereof and the hingepin is further shown to have a shoulder formed between adjacent portionsof different diameter at its opposite end and engageable by adeflectable rubber lip to prevent axial displacement of the pin. It isevident that the non` circular section and the shoulder may be locatedif desired atgthe same end or at a common intermediate portion of thepin or in the alternative, the shoulder and its engageable lip belocated at the head end of the pin whereas the noncircular section ofthe pin and its interfitted companion part may be disposed at anopposite end different from the other cylindrical part to the extentthat one is self-lubricated due to wax impregnation and the other partis not so lubricated, but selfevidently the latter said part may be waximpregnated so as to be Selflubricated and conceivably both cylindricalparts may be lubricated or not depending upon the operationalcharacteristics desired. The hinge pin is seen to be of the same outsidediameter at the opposite sides of the annular retaining groove or recessshown disposed at one end thereof and the inner lip at the correspondingend of the core means is 0seen to .be of a relatively smaller insidedameter in comparison, but indeed it is not essential to the inventionthat the recess and `the lip be so related exactly at the end of thecore means and the engagement between the lip and the adjacent shoulderof the annular recess on the pin can be rendered equally eective if theoutside diameter of4 the extreme end of the pin is proportioned so as tobe smaller than the outside diameter at the oppositeA Sidi@ of therecess but nevertheless proportioned so as to V b e largerrthan theoutside diameter of th@ 4recess and largerthan the inside diameter ofthe lip, j

' Variations within the s pirit1ar1l` scope `ofthe inventiondescribed-[are equally comprehended by the, foregoing description,

What is claimed is;

l'. Bearingand support means for swingably mounting apt-wo ended memberhaving a fixedI substantially hori-l zout-alf axis of swing and having`pin receiving st'ructure.v at one end throughwhich the vswing axis isadapted to pass, saidv bearing and support means comprising core meansof-deformable material included within the structure at one end ofthemember, a headedv pin therein concentric to said axis and insertabletherethrough to a final p osition whereby-each end extends beyond thecorrespondingt end off-the core means, spaced apart apertured bracketmeans providing stationary support at the opposite end s of the pin,said pin and said bracket means having means establishing cooperationtherebetween at the head en-d of the former to hold the same xed to thelatter against relative movement in adirection about said axis, said pinand said coremeans having means at the opposite endof` theformen'rendering the same disengageably fixed` to the latter againstmovement in an axial direction and comprising an inwardly directedprotrusion of` the core means which'is laterally deilectable out of its.normal shape by means of thejust said opposite end of the pin uponinitial insertion ofl the pin therethrough to a predeterminedy position,and comprising a portionfofthepjn formed. with a reducedpdiameteroccupied by theprotrusion whenthe elastic restores itself to normalshape and forming a shoulder yieldably engaged thereafter by means ofthe protrusion of the core means to hold the pin axially fixed in itsabove described final position.

2. Bearing and support means for swingably mounting a pedal memberhaving a fixed substantially horizontal axis of swing and having pinreceiving structure at one end through which the swing axis is adaptedto pass, said bearing and support means comprising core means ofdeformable material adapted to be bonded within said structure at oneend of the pedal member, a pin therein concentric to said axis andinsertable therethrough to a final position whereby each end extendsbeyond the corresponding end of the core means, spaced apart aperturedbracket means providing support at the opposite ends of the pin, saidpin and said bracket means having means establishing cooperationtherebetween at one end of the former to hold the same fixed to thelatter against relative movement in a direction about said axis, saidpin and said core means having means establishing cooperation at theopposite end of the former rendering the same fixed to the latteragainst relative movement in an axial direction and comprising aninwardly directed elastic protrusion of the core means which islaterally deectable out of its normal position by means of the just saidopposite end of the pin upon insertion of the pin therethrough to apredetermined initial position, and a portion formed on the pin withreduced diameter adapted to be occupied by the protrusion when itelastically restores itself to normal position and forming a shoulderyieldably engaged by the protrusion of the core means to hold the piniixed in its above described final position.

3. In combination, a two ended accelerator pedal member having a fixedsubstantially horizontal axis of swing and having pin receivingstructure at one end through which the swing axis passes, acceleratorrod receiving structure at the opposite end and having a ball-receivingsocketed body incorporating elastic core means at the interior of thesocket, bearing and support means comprising self-lubricated core meansadapted to be bonded within said structure at said one end of the memberand having the body thereof impregnated throughout with wax lubricant, abracket support means having spaced apart portions between which thecore means for the pedal is included and one of which has a blindaperture and the etherV 0L which. has a free.y pin-receiving. aperture..apin therein concentric to, said, swing, axis and insertable thrcush thefree. aperture, thecore, means, and:y thek blind aperture t0 a. nalposition whereby each. endet the pin extends. beyond the corresponding.spaced.` apartrortions of the` bracket means,J said bracket means andsaid` pin havingA disengageably engageablevmeans establishingr co-OPCIliilOu therebetween. fthe free.v portionof, the former to hold thelatter fixed against rela-.tive movement in a direction aboutsaidaxissaidlpin, and said coremeans having disengageably engageable meansatthe opposite end establishing Cooperationto render thel fermer yield:ably Xed t0V the ltter-against relative., movement in. an, axialdirection.

41 An accelerator peclljal'for, useY with mechanism yincorporating aspaced,y apart accelerator rod and bracket supported. pin, said'pinbeing arranged to define, a swing axis from which saidpedalis`adapted, toswing in a.4 substantially vertical planeof movement and.said.` accelerator rod havingan enlargedgendvwhich is adapted to move`longitudinally along a pathdisposed within said` vertical; plane, saidpedal comprising, a metali` pedal plate bent back on itself,` adjacentthe heel, portion thereof to form a closedloop of whichtheplaneof, the`centralaxis thereof is arranged at a slight acute angle` to, areferencelinedisposed in the plane of the plate so as to be mutuallyperpendiclular withrespect to the longitudinal axisof the latten, a,rubber covering over at least a vportion of the surfaces of the pedal'plateE and vvbonded thereto, said covering incorporating a pain ofvgenerally cylindrical parts one adjacent the toe portion of' thepedalrplate-andincluding socket forming elastic core means adapted toreceive the enlarged head of the accelerator rod so as to allow the samefreedom of movement in two directions, the other cylindrical part beingbonded within the closed loop at the heel portion of the pedal plate andincluding pin receiving elastic core means for receiving said bracketsupportedpin which is concentric to said swing axis, at least one ofsaid core means being wax impregnated for self-lubrication of theA sameand at least said pin receiv-v ing core means having an inwardlydirected bead of de-Y iiectable rubber aixed to the interior surfacethereof for disengageably engaging complementarily recessed means onsaid pin for retaining the latter against unwanted rela tive movement ofdisplacement in an axial direction.

5. In combination, a support bracket having at least; one openingtherein defining a fixed swing axis, a partV supported to swing aboutthe axis on the bracket andi having hollow core means mounted theretofor registry with the bracket opening, said core means having aLpreformed elastically deiiectable protrusion, and aV hingev` pin passedthrough the support bracket opening; and; thecore means when mutually inregistry and having a; noseadapted to slidingly wedge the protrusion outof the pathA thereof and having a reduced portion into whichI the pro.

trusion snaps in iinal position.

'6. In combination, a support bracket having at least one openingtherein, a part to be swingably supported bymeans of an insertable hingepin on theYA bracket andi having hollow core means afilxed thereto inaposition; of registry with the bracket opening, said' core means, havinga preformed elastically detiectable protrusion in, the path of the hingepin, and a hinge pin whichgis pro-- vided to be inserted through thesupport bracket open,-4 ing and the core means when mutually in registryandi having an end engageable with the protrusion, to dis-- place thesame and temporarily clear it out ofthe paththereof and having a reducedportion adjacent said pin end into which the protrusion snapsafterclearing the latter.

7. In combination, a support bracket having at least' one openingtherein which is noncircular in cross section: and which defines a tixedswing axis, a part to be swingably supported on the bracket about theaxis as a center and having hollow core means in registry with thebracket opening,.said core means having a preformed elasticallydeectable protrusion therein, `anda hinge pin passed through the supportbracket opening and the core means when in registry, and having a noseadapted to slidingly wedge the protrusion out of the path thereof andhaving a reduced portion into which the protrusion snaps in finalposition, said pin having `an enlarged head portion of generalnoncircular section complementary to the support bracket opening andengageable therewith in final position of the pin to prevent relativerotation between the pin and the support bracket.

8. In combination, a supporting part including a pair of spaced apartbracket means having transversely aligned openings at least one of whichis polygonal in cross section, a supported pedal part having a hollowelastic core means for defining a swing axis therefor concentric to saidopenings and adapted to be received by said bracket means in registrywith the aligned openings thereof, said elastic core means incorporatinginternally thereof a pre formed stretchable annular lip portion, and apin having an end axially insertable in the concentric bracket and coremeans and formed with a tapered nose initially engageable with theannular lip portion to stretch the same so as to pass through beyond thelip portion, and formed with a portion of reduced cross section behindthe nose into which the lip elastically returns itself to its initialpreformed shape, said pin having a portion of polygonal cross sectioncomplcmentarily received in'said polygonal bracket portion and cominginto engagement therewith substantially simultaneously with the elasticreturn of the lip.

9. In combination, a support part comprising a pair of spaced apartbracket means having transversely aligned openings at least one of whichis a blind opening, a supported pedal part having hollow elastic coremeans for defining a swing axis therefor concentric to said openings andadapted to be received by the said bracket means in registry with thealigned openings, said elastic core means incorporating a preformed butcircumferentially stretchable circular lip portion internally thereof atthe end adjacent the blind opening, and a pin having an end to be passedaxially through the concentric bracket and core means and formed with atapered nose initially engageable with the circular lip portion tostretch and expand the same out of the way in passing, and formed with aportion of reduced cross section adjacent the nose into which the lipelastically returns itself when it contracts to its initial preformedshape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,793,874 Skillman Feb. 24, 1931 1,835,575 Sanders et al Dec. 8, 19312,068,474 Schwinn Jan. 19, 1937 2,122,839 Guy July 5, 1938 2,127,200Boersma Aug. 16, 1938 2,167,868 Best Aug. 1, 1939 2,358,518 Kraft Sept.19, 1944 2,507,009 Haushalter May 9, 1950 2,678,853 Reeder May 18, 1954

